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PROSPECTUS



Little Munchkins Playgroup,
Scout Building,
Rear of 61 Stamford Drive,
Stalybridge,
Cheshire,
SK15 1QT

Telephone Number: - 07840 945572
www.littlemunchkins.org

OFSTED Registered: EY299288
Nursery Education Grant Registered

Introduction

Welcome to Little Munchkins, we are an OFSTED registered Pre-School Playgroup.

Our home is in the Scout Building, situated with grounds for possibly outdoor play area and camping area for the Scouts / Guiding Association.

All the fees we charge are to cover the running costs of the playgroup i.e. wages, rent, insurance etc. Any fund – raising events we are to have are especially for buying new equipment for the children and for outings.

The Staff

We employ five staff as follows: -

Gillian	Kath	Helen	Yvonne	Samantha
Manager / Owner	Manager	Deputy Manager	Play Worker	Play Worker

Tel No: 0161 303 0564
Mobile No: 07500 229541**

(**Please note this number should only be used in the event of an emergency during Playgroup hours).

Qualifications

Gillian Window: NVQ Level 4 in Childcare & Education
Foundation Stages: - First Aid, Health & Safety, Food Hygiene, Safeguarding Children the Next Step (Child Protection), Induction for SENCOs & Paperwork & Procedures for SENCOs & writing IAP’s & IEP’s for SENCO.

Kath Mossop: NVQ Level 3 in Childcare & Education.
First Aid, Health & Safety, Food Hygiene, Safeguarding Children, Induction for SENCOs & Paperwork & Procedures for SENCOs & writing IAP’s & IEP’s for SENCO.

Helen Hutchinson: NVQ Level 3 Teaching Assistant..
First Aid, Health & Safety, Food Hygiene, Safeguarding Children, Induction for SENCOs & Paperwork & Procedures for SENCOs & writing IAP’s & IEP’s for SENCO.

Yvonne Noble: NVQ Level 2 in Childcare & Education.
Foundation Stages: - First Aid, Health & Safety, Food Hygiene, Safeguarding Children the Next Step (Child Protection).

Samantha Halley: NVQ Level 2 in Childcare & Education.
Foundation Stages: - Food Hygiene, Health & Safety, First Aid & Safeguarding Children (Child Protection).

Playgroup Sessions

Hours of Opening

The Group is open five days a week from 9.30am to 3.00pm, Monday to Friday, and offers the following Session Times:

Morning 9:30am – 12:00pm - £6.00 per session.

Afternoon 12.30pm – 3.00pm - £6.00 per session.

Full Day 9.30am – 3.00pm - £18.00 per day, including dinner.

There are places for 20 pre-school children per session.

The supervisor, who will take the child’s details, will make all admissions and contact the carers when the child reaches the age of 2 years provided a place is available.

Places will be given on a first come, first served basis, although priority will be given to children with siblings already attending the playgroup, places can only be held if they are paid for. We will make it clear that our Pre-school welcomes fathers, mothers, other relations and carers and people from all cultural, ethnic, religious and social groups with or without disabilities.

In the event of over-subscription the following sub criteria will apply:
Children who have siblings who have already attended.
Geographical location - preference will be given to children living within a 2½ mile radius.
Children already attending the playgroup.
Age - older children will be given preference.
Referrals from other professionals will be given consideration.

Fees

The fees are as outlined above.

Fees will be Non-refundable. Failure to pay fees as detailed may result in the loss of your child’s place.

The Playgroup operates a duty rota, and we hope that parents will be able to help in the mornings.

Absence due to holidays, fees still need to be paid.

Illness

1. Parents are asked not to bring into the playgroup any child who has been vomiting or had diarrhoea until at least 24 hours has elapsed since the last attack.
2. Please keep your child at home if they have any infectious illness and contact the playgroup to let them know.
3. In the event of a child becoming ill or injured, every attempt is made to contact a parent or substitute carer. Should the child's carer be unavailable, the Playgroup Leader will decide on the best course of action.
4. Full fees are expected unless your child is hospitalised.

Nursery Education Grant at Little Munchkins

We are able to offer Free Nursery Education Grant places for 3 and 4 year olds, your child is eligible for Nursery Education Grant in the term after their 3rd Birthday.

The terms are:

Spring Starts 1st January
Summer Starts 1st April
Autumn Starts 1st September

The Nursery Education Grant entitlement for your child is up to a maximum of 6x 2.5 hour free sessions per week and for up to 38 weeks per year in line with the school terms.

The council on an annual basis will set the number of weeks in each term and these will be linked in to school terms.

We offer the NEG 5 days a week. Each morning or afternoon session counts as one NEG session, a full day counts as 2 NEG sessions.

As proof of Identification you need to bring the child’s Birth Certificate or Passport.

The NEG grant received for your child currently exceeds the amount we charge for this session, in accordance with the conditions we are able to retain this part of the grant and use it to purchase educational:
Equipment
Toys,
Resources,
I.T equipment/software
Trips/visits
Specialist External Educational Teaching
Specialist Training Courses for Employees

For the Foundation Stage children e.g. 3 & 4 year olds. Records are maintained and available to view on request.

Our Aims

It is the aim of this Pre-school that all children should be given opportunities to:

• Grow in self-confidence, experience success and thus develop a good self image.
• Develop at their own rate through challenging, progressive play.
• Learn to play co-operatively and share with others.
• Communicate thoughts, ideas and feelings clearly to both adults and children.
• Deepen and lengthen concentration through their natural spontaneous curiosity and interests.
• Choose and explore a wide range of materials which allow them to express themselves appropriately and creatively.
• Share in the wonder and excitement created by books, stories, songs, rhymes, music and the natural environment.
• Appreciate and practise social skills and learning to care for others.
• Enjoy the satisfaction of work well done and share this with their parents.
• To provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment.

Benefits To The Children

Children learn how to socialise and to share. Social skills are developed and children become aware of others. They learn how to be part of the group. The children will make friends and will already know a lot of the children they will go to nursery with. This “big step” is therefore a little less daunting.

Parental Role At Playgroup

Parents are encouraged to become involved in Playgroup activities. You could help in any of the following ways:

• The 'Parent Helper' Rota
• Helping with outings and parties
• Fundraising
• Attending relevant meetings and responding to circulars
• Spending time with the children discussing or demonstrating some aspect of your talent or profession e.g. baking, craft, firefighters, farmer etc.

Guidelines For Rota Day Helper's

What am I letting myself in for by helping on the 'Rota'?
Whether this is the first time you have helped at Playgroup or you're an 'old hand' we thought we'd produce a handy leaflet to let you in on what's expected during your rota session. Firstly we want it to be a 'FUN' experience, (so good in fact that you'll be desperate to help again and again and….)

The quick reference version
• Arrive normal time and sign in
• Play with all the children
• Sit with children during 'Hello Time'
• Play with children
• Wipe a few noses
• Help tidy away
• Read a few stories
• Prepare snacks
• Wash up
• Play AGAIN!
• Sit with children during storytime
• Join in with some songs
• Leave with your child at normal session time
Thanks- Hopefully see you again!

Information & Rules

1. Children may be accepted into Pre-school any time after the beginning of the term in which they become 2 years. If they are not toilet trained don’t worry, they can still come.

2. Please send your child ready to play. We try to protect their clothes with plastic aprons, but we cannot accept responsibility for ensuring that they look as nice when they go home as they did when they arrived. Alternatively buy the Little Munchkins T-Shirt / Sweater.

3. The Kitchen area is “off-limits” at all times to children. Any hot drinks should be kept on the kitchen counter.

4. Milk / Juice and snacks are provided during the session, cups will be provided and fresh drinking water will be available at all times.

5. Parents are asked to complete a medical form when registering their child. Playgroup should be informed of any illness that might affect the child while in our care.

6. Please advise the Play Leader if someone else is going to collect your child from Pre-school, you need to make sure this person knows the password. Your child will not be sent home with anyone other then the Parent / Carer or person authorised by the Parent / Carer.

7. Please ring and let Pre-school know if your child will be absent on any particular morning.

8. Please do not bring your child to Pre-school if he / she feels unwell or has had sickness and diarrhoea in the last 48 hours.

9. Try to dress them in manageable clothes, particularly for going to the toilet.

10. Please mark clothes that will be taken off e.g. wellies, coats, shoes etc, with their names (lots of them are called St Michael!). Please send a named sun hat with your child during the summer.

11. Please take time to settle your child into Pre-school. It will be worth it in the long run. The Play Leader can advise you on the best way to do this.

12. The main door will be locked at 15 minutes after the start of the session and unlocked at 5 minutes before the end of the session.

13. If you bring your child to Pre-school by car, in the interest of safety, please drive slowly when entering the Pre-school grounds. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 5 M.P.H. If staying to do a duty, please park to the side of the Playgroup.

14. In the interests of safety the main gates to the playground are closed when the children are playing outside.

Policy Statements

Policies and Procedures
Are available to be viewed by parents / carers at any time. A supervisor will be pleased to show these to you.

Equal Opportunities
The pre-school believes that no child, individual or family should be excluded from the group’s activities on the grounds of age, gender, sexuality, class, family status, means, disability, colour, ethnic origin, culture or belief. We aim to ensure that all who wish to work in, or volunteer to help with Little Munchkins pre-school have an equal chance to do so.

Safeguarding Children
We are obliged to follow The Tameside Area Child Protection – Safeguarding Children Procedure. A copy of which is available from the Play Leader on request.

Special Educational Needs
All children are welcome in our pre-school. We will endeavour to accommodate special educational needs wherever possible and work with children, parent/carers and any external agencies to help with the child’s development.

Confidentiality
A full policy is available on request from the Play Leader.

Snacks
Children are encouraged not to bring sweets and snacks. These will be set aside until the child is going home. Milk and a healthy snack are provided free of charge at mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Juice will be provided for children not taking milk. If it is your child’s birthday you may provide a cake for snack or healthy snack to take home.
Medical, Cultural and dietary needs will be meet.

Circulars
Circulars are given to parents during the year to keep them informed of general information and holidays. Curriculum plans are displayed in the Group and a parents letter is distributed each month to children.

Collecting Children
Pre-school Staff must be informed of who will normally be collecting children and of any changes from routine.

Outings
An outing will be organised each year e.g. Gullivers World, whereby parents will be asked to sign a consent form.

Visitors
Various visitors e.g. Dentist, Community Police, Librarian, Photographer, are to be invited to the Pre-school throughout the year.

Parties
Christmas parties are planned to take place each year when entertainment will be provided e.g. magical clown and of course not forgetting a visit from Santa Claus.

Families
The pre-school recognises that many different types of family successfully love and care for children.
The pre-school offers a flexible payment system for families with differing means.

The Curriculum
All children will be respected and their individuality and potential recognised, valued and nurtured. Activities and the use of play equipment offer children opportunities to develop in an environment free from prejudice and discrimination. Appropriate opportunities will be given to children to explore, acknowledge and value similarities and differences between themselves and others.

Resources
These will be chosen to give children a balanced view of the world and an appreciation of the rich diversity of our multi-cultural society.

Material will be selected to help children to develop their self-respect and the respect of other people avoiding stereotypes and derogatory pictures or messages about any group of people.

Complaints Procedure

All complaints should be discussed with the Play Leader. If this does not have a satisfactory outcome or the problem re-occurs the carer should put the complaint in writing and request a meeting with the Little Munchkins. For a full complaints procedure please see the Play Leader.

Early Years,
Ofsted,
3rd Floor,
Royal Exchange Buildings,
St Ann’s Square,
Manchester,
M2 7LA

Complaints:- 0845 601 4772 / www.ofsted.gov.uk

You will always be made welcome in our pre-school

Term Dates 2009/10

Little Munchkins Playgroup,
Scout Building,
Rear of 61 Stamford Drive,
Stalybridge,
SK15 1QT
Telephone Number: - 07840 945572

You will always be made welcome in our playgroup

email: Gillian                                                              tel:   07840 945572